Graduation Sheet Cake Buttercream (Printable Version)

Soft vanilla cake adorned with colorful buttercream roses for a festive centerpiece.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Sheet Cake

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
09 - 1¼ cups whole milk, room temperature

→ Buttercream

10 - 1½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
11 - 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
12 - ¼ cup whole milk
13 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
14 - Gel food coloring in assorted colors

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 12x18-inch sheet cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
08 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes.
09 - Divide buttercream into separate bowls. Tint portions with gel food coloring for roses (red, pink, yellow) and leaves (green), leaving some white for the base layer.
10 - Spread a thin layer of white buttercream over the cooled cake as a smooth base.
11 - Fit piping bags with desired tips (petal tip for roses, leaf tip for leaves). Pipe roses and leaves across the cake, focusing on corners or as a decorative border.
12 - Using a small round piping tip, add a graduation message or congratulatory text to the cake.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The vanilla cake stays impossibly moist for days, so you can actually bake it ahead without it drying out.
  • Buttercream roses look intimidating until you realize the technique is simpler than it sounds, and even wobbly ones look charming.
  • Feeding 24 people from one pan means you're not stuck in the kitchen making multiple batches like you would with cupcakes.
02 -
  • Bringing all your ingredients to room temperature isn't just a suggestion—cold eggs and butter won't emulsify properly and you'll end up with a grainy, separated batter that bakes into a dense cake.
  • The difference between a gorgeous cake and a deflated one often comes down to not overmixing after you add the flour; mix just until the streaks of flour disappear and then stop, even if it feels premature.
03 -
  • Room temperature is everything—pull all your ingredients out at least 30 minutes before you start baking, and you'll notice the difference in how smoothly everything comes together.
  • If you want chocolate roses instead, swap ¾ cup of flour for ¾ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder and reduce the sugar slightly because cocoa is bitter and you don't want it to overpower the delicate rose effect.
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